Oxygen Diffusion Through Mitochondrial Membranes

Abstract

The membrane viscosity of myocardial mitochondria was measured recently with a time-resolved fluorescence technique. As expected from the low concentration of cholesterol in mitochondrial membranes, the viscosity was relatively small. Treatment with phospholipase A2 caused an increase in membrane viscosity. To date, the influence of mitochondrial membrane on the oxygen transport to the oxygen-consuming site has not been discussed.